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Anchor Bible Commentary: The Letter to Philemon by Joseph A. Fitzmyer

“The apostle Paul’s letter to his friend and fellow Christian Philemon, which focuses on the question of slavery, has long inspired debate. Onesimus, one of Philemon’s slaves and a Christian himself, has left his master’s house and sought refuge with Paul. In a letter to Philemon, Paul assures his friend that he is sending Onesimus back into captivity, but pleads for mercy on the slave’s behalf, asking Philemon to treat him as a beloved brother and as he would treat the apostle.Examining Paul’s letter within the context of the social, political, and economic realities of the times, Fitzmyer sheds light on the question of whether Paul was suggesting that Onesimus be granted freedom from slavery or whether he was simply advocating a lenient treatment of this particular slave. His insights not only clarify Paul’s position but show why the letter is relevant in the Church today.” – Yale University Press

NICNT: The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians by F. F. Bruce

“After a lifetime of work that earned him the appellation “Dean of Evangelical Scholarship,” F. F. Bruce’s legacy of defending the historical reliability of the New Testament and explicating its meaning remains influential today, and rightly so. This collection of three commentaries in one volume—Bruce’s final study of Paul’s writings—represents his legacy well. It was met with immediate acclaim upon publication in 1984 and an Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Gold Medallion award the following year. In these pages—now Bruce’s third volume in the Eerdmans Classic Biblical Commentaries series—this giant of twentieth-century biblical studies speaks still.” – Eerdmans

NIGTC: The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon (FORTHCOMING) by James D. G. Dunn

“In this volume in the celebrated New International Greek Testament Commentary series, James D. G. Dunn, author of numerous well-received works on the historical origin and theological interpretation of the New Testament, provides detailed expositions of the text of Paul’s letters to the Colossians and to Philemon. Dunn examines each of these letters within the context of the Jewish and Hellenistic cultures in the first century, and he discusses the place of Colossians and Philemon in the relationship between the Pauline mission and the early churches that received these letters. He places particular stress on the role of faith in Jesus Christ within and over against Judaism and on the counsel of these two important letters with regard to the shaping of human relationships in the community of faith.” – Eerdmans

Sacra Pagina: Philippians and Philemon by Bonnie B. Thurston and Judith M. Ryan

“Although relatively brief, Philippians is one of the most interesting and beloved of Paul’s undisputed epistles. In Philippians and Philemon, Bonnie Thurston makes a convincing case that canonical Philippians is as Paul wrote it, one letter. Although there is not enough specific evidence to “name names,” she suggests a number of possible audiences. A translation conforming as closely as possible to the original Greek is provided, along with a careful analysis of the language of the letter that yields insights into the context and theological underpinning of this epistle. The apostle’s very brief letter to Philemon stands solidly within the Pauline collection of authentic and canonical letters. In this volume, Judith Ryan argues that Philemon makes two specific appeals. The first seeks to elicit Philemon’s partnership and his community’s support in welcoming Onesimus back as both beloved brother and honored guest. The second requests that Onesimus be allowed to use the freedom he already has to serve Christ and his Gospel. In this commentary Ryan provides a fresh translation, critical notes for each verse, and interpretation on defined sections. She situates the letter in the historical context of slavery in the ancient world and shows how Paul combined his theology with contemporary rhetorical strategies to produce an effective challenge to his audience.” – Liturgical Press

“Colossians presents a picture of Christ who is ‘the firstborn over all creation’ and has disarmed and triumphed over the powers and authorities. The letter also appeals to its readers to seek humble maturity, a maturity not possible apart from the person and work of Jesus Christ. N. T Wright’s stated goal is to “to give the text back to the reader uncluttered by a mass of glosses.” In Philemon, Paul makes a personal appeal to a fellow believer to receive a runaway slave, Onesimus, in love and forgiveness. For Wright, it is “an acted parable of the gospel itself.” The original, unrevised text of this volume has been completely retypeset and printed in a larger, more attractive format with the new cover design for the series. The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries have long been a trusted resource for Bible study. Written by some of the world’s most distinguished evangelical scholars, these twenty volumes offer clear, reliable, and relevant explanations of every book in the New Testament. These Tyndale volumes are designed to help readers understand what the Bible actually says and what it means. The introduction to each volume gives a concise but thorough description of the authorship, date, and historical background of the biblical book under consideration. The commentary itself examines the text section by section, drawing out its main themes. It also comments on individual verses and deals with problems of interpretation.” – InterVarsity Press

Word Biblical Commentary: Colossians and Philemon (FORTHCOMING) by Peter T. O’Brien

“The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship.” – Zondervan

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Subject: Philemon